Today, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced that Brian Swett will be the City’s new Chief of Environment and Energy. Swett will lead the next phase of Boston’s sustainability efforts, which are already improving Boston’s neighborhoods in significant ways and have pushed Boston into the top tier of green cities nationally. Mayor Menino made the announcement at the Franklin Park Zoo at an event celebrating Boston GreenFest 2012. Zoo New England will be among 200 exhibitors at GreenFest, which will take place on City Hall Plaza August 16-19.

Swett began his career in government service at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has worked at an environmental justice non-profit, and is currently a Project Manager for Boston Properties, one of the largest owners and developers of commercial real estate in the city and a leader in Boston’s sustainability efforts. At Boston Properties, Swett also advises and oversees green building and sustainability-related initiatives in the Boston region and across the company.

“Greenovating Boston is an all-hands effort, and I am thrilled that Brian has accepted this challenge of engaging all of our neighbors and all of our businesses and institutions in our sustainability work.” said Mayor Menino. “I know Boston can be the greenest city in the country and that Brian – with his experience in the public and private sectors and his knowledge of green efforts in our neighborhoods and around the globe – will help lead us there.”

“Cities are and must be the biggest drivers for a more sustainable planet,” said Swett. “I feel privileged to be able to help make Boston the leader among sustainability leaders. I am honored to partner with the people who live and work in our great – and ever greener – city.”

“We have so much exciting progress going on in Boston. When we attract someone with Brian’s talent and potential into city government, it adds to that energy and to that buzz.” Menino added.

Swett will start in his new post on August 6. Swett succeeds Jim Hunt, who successfully championed Boston’s green efforts for seven years and announced last week that he would be stepping down from the post. As Chief of Environment and Energy, Swett will oversee several City agencies including the Inspectional Services Department, the Environment Department, Parks Planning, and Boston’s Recycling policy. He lives in Boston’s South End.

About Brian Swett: Brian Swett, LEED AP is currently a Project Manager at Boston Properties. Recent development projects in Boston that Brian has been involved in include Atlantic Wharf, a LEED-Platinum Certified 31-story mixed-use project on Boston’s waterfront and Boston’s first green skyscraper. He also advises and oversees LEED and sustainability related initiatives throughout the Boston region and across the company. Prior to joining Boston Properties, Swett worked for an environmental justice non-profit, two socially responsible investment firms, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, and several offices in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. During his time at EPA’s National Center for Environmental Innovation, Swett created and led a program on learning from international best practices in environmental policy for domestic adaptation and application. Areas of focus included green building, integrated permitting, smart growth, and urban planning.

Swett is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). He is Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter. He also currently co-chairs the ULI Boston Sustainability Council and is a member of the ULI Boston Adivsory Board. Swett is active in educating graduate students about sustainable design and has presented to university groups and at Green Build. He was a member of the Massachusetts Net Zero Energy Building Task Force’s Commercial Sector Work Group, helped craft Boston’s 2010 Climate Action Leadership Committee Recommendations and advises the work of Boston’s Green Ribbon Commission.

Swett received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and International Relations in 2001 from Brown University and a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Sustainable Systems in 2008 from the University of Michigan. He serves on the Dean’s Visiting Committee at the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan.